In Italy, openly gay and devoutly Catholic anti-corruption politician Rosario Crocetta was recently elected to govern conservative Sicily: "I will demonstrate that this region can be the most liberal in Europe." The Mafia's tried to kill him three times, so far. [Reuters]

Saying that it is "listening to its customers", Heinz withdrew a TV ad featuring two men kiss. Gay rights campaigners say the company caved as soon as an "organized campaign" commenced to register complaints. From The Independent:

Last night Ben Summerskill, the chief executive of the gay rights group Stonewall, urged its supporters to stop buying Heinz products. "We're shocked that an innocuous ad should have been withdrawn in this way.

"Our phones have not stopped ringing with supporters who are deeply upset. I think people are a surprised they have responded so swiftly to what appears, on the face of it, to be organised complaints, a campaign by people who are determined to be outraged whenever there is any reference to homosexuality, however light hearted,"

The UK's Advertising Standards Authority felt it necessary to release a statement saying that it had not launched an investigation into the commercial, and that homosexuality in itself was not a breach of its standards.